Recipients Urged To Consider `Direct Deposit' For Checks

SOCIAL SECURITY

July 2, 1995|John Raffa

For most of us, summer is vacation time. If you're a Social Security beneficiary traveling outside the United States and its territories (including Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands), there are things you should know.

If you're not now having your check sent directly to your bank, now's the time to do it. There are a lot of reasons why this is more convenient, but none more important than having your funds available to you even when you're not there to cash your checks. More than half of Social Security beneficiaries receive their checks through "direct deposit."It is the method of receiving checks recommended by Social Security for the convenience, safety and speed.

Another important point is your Medicare coverage. What happens if you get sick? Generally, Medicare does not pay for hospital or medical services outside the United States. However, there are three exceptions.

Medicare will pay for your care in qualified Canadian or Mexican hospitals if:

-- You are in the United States when an emergency occurs, and a Canadian or Mexican hospital is closer to, or substantially more accessible from, the site of the emergency than the nearest U.S. hospital that can provide the emergency services you need.

-- You live in the United States and a Canadian or Mexican hospital is closer to, or substantially more accessible from, your home than the nearest U.S. hospital that can provide the care you need, regardless of whether an emergency exists, and without regard to where the illness or injury occurs.

-- You are in Canada traveling by the most direct route between Alaska and another state when an emergency occurs, and a Canadian hospital is closer to, or substantially more accessible from, the site of the emergency than the nearest U.S. hospital that can provide the emergency services you need.

If you plan to stay outside the country more than 30 days, other rules may apply. You should call Social Security and ask for a copy of the booklet Your Social Security Checks While You Are Outside The United States (Publication No. 05-10137).

Q.

My dad, who is receiving SSI benefits, will be coming to live with me next month. Does he have to report it to Social Security?

A.

Yes. An SSI beneficiary must report any change in living arrangements within 10 days after the month the change occurs. If you don't, you could end up receiving an incorrect payment and have to pay it back. Failure to report or false reports could result in fine, imprisonment, or both. You can report by mail or in person at any Social Security office. Social Security's toll-free number is 1-800-772-1213.

Q.

I understand that Social Security benefits are supposed to replace a certain portion of a person's preretirement earnings. For a person with average earnings over his/her working life, what is the replacement?

A.

The amount of the benefit is based on average annual earnings over a person's working life. The higher the earnings the higher the benefit amount, but the lower the replacement rate. For low earners, the replacement rate is about 60 percent; for higher earners, about 26 percent.

John Raffa is a field representative with the Social Security Administration in South Florida. Write to him at the administration's office, P.O. Box 24678, West Palm Beach, Fla. 33416.